Miso Soup (miso shiru) #2!

I have not forgotten, just had real life kick in. Boo that but now I'm back to post what was Miso Soup #2!

Yes, I am still going to see how many different types of Miso Soup I can make this year. With the cold weather it feels even more appropriate. I will be making both vegetarian and non-vegetarian types because it is so versatile.

So Miso Soup #2 was with salted salmon. I had a little bit of this salmon which I find hard to eat since it is so salty. Decided to see how it tasted in this version of the soup. Salted salmon is also known as Shiozake. The basic ingredients are the salmon, tofu and dashi with white (shiro) miso.



I took this photo because once the broth is in the bowl you can't see the salmon. This time I make dashi, which is water, konbu (dried sea vegetable) and bonito flakes. You can make dashi without the bonito but since there was salmon I thought a little bonito would compliment the flavor. Dashi can also be made with shitake mushrooms or with niboshi which is dried baby sardines. I haven't tried making that one yet.



Added to this are tofu and the miso. I used the Premimum White miso, that was in the first miso soup I posted, with a basic White (shiro) miso. This gave it a bit more salt but not too much. I think this turned out rather well, the salmon was less salty tasting, and would try making this again!

so many photos...

This was so good! It's manju filled with red bean (azuki beans) paste mixed with Okinawa brown sugar. I got these lovelies at Marukai Market just down the street.

I do have more to post, just so many things to do! Tomorrow will be a busy day but maybe with the rain might get something more on here.

Demon out, good luck in!

Ah, these are Eho-Maki, Lucky Directional Roll. In other words, they are giant sushi rolls one eats on Setsubun. You face the prescribed direction and eat this without talking or stopping. You are suppose to think of good things you want for the new Spring to come. There are suppose to be seven ingridients inside. I can say that one of these is quite filling!

A weekend to look forward to!

Well, sometimes life makes one have to spend more time dealing with it. Like taking care of sick kitties and other things. But did get a break this weeked. Got to go someplace I've wanted to go for a while. Saturday we were able to go to the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Will Call. Interesting place but no photos allowed. Also rather crowded, so much so couldn't sniff any of the samples. But did get to buy the scented oils I wanted so that was all good.

Later that night we headed over to another place I wanted to try out.



It was a rather interesting sushi bar experience. Very small place in Torrance, Calif. After being there, I think most of their business is take-out. It seemed like they weren't use to people sitting at the sushi bar and ordering a few pieces at a time. But I will say the food was pretty darn good and fresh and at a reasonable price. First time for trying abalone, different but not something I will probably order again. I love sitting at a sushi bar and watching the chefs work. This place I think it was just the husband while the wife handled taking orders and getting drinks.



So Sunday morning turns out we were pretty darn hungry even though we ate a lot of sushi. Headed out to another place I wanted to try for a few years.

This is King's Hawaiian Restaurant also in Torrance, Calif. Unusual architecture for the building. Many of the "rooms" are round.



Yes, they are the people that make all that bread.



Pretty amazing pastries too!



The decor is interesting. This is suppose to be a giant pineapple.



Yes, they have great muffins!



Boyfriend's breakfast.



And mine, their French Toast. So good. The eggs were cooked just right with a nice buttery taste. Those are turkey sausages btw. Definitely good food at a decent price. Very filling, don't think I'm going to eat the rest of the week!

my kitty brothers

Here I have a blog named after them and I don't post their photos. My blukats, the brothers Shinji and Kenji.

I got them right after my cat Blues passed away. It was too hard losing him. But I decided that not having a furry one in my life was not okay either. So I got Shinji but he got sick so I got his brother in hopes that would help him. At least they get along most of the time!

One thing to do on a gloomy rainy day

Well one suggestion is hot tea and pastries.



Because a cup of hot tea at Chantilly Bakery in Lomita, Calif. is always nice.



Especially with a chocolate cream puff and macarons. I can't believe I've never had a macaron, what have I been missing! Well for starters, raspberry and mint chocolate.



And green tea and chocolate. Delicious!

Ohhhhyeah!!

First sighting of the year!  I had to check the date, can't believe these are for sale already.
Hey guys, is Easter early this year?